By Sonya McLean
A father-of-four who was part of an organised gang has been jailed for four years after a judge said it was “a premeditated, targeted incident of burglary”.
Detective Garda Dermot Haugh refused to accept a suggestion from Martin Cawley’s barrister that the burglary of a Dublin apartment was carried out to feed an addiction and instead said Cawley was part of an organised burglary gang.
Judge Melanie Greally said the burglary “bears the hallmarks of a premeditated, organised, targeted incident of burglary which was intended clearly to extend to several apartments within the block”.
She noted that Cawley had an accomplice with him and a third man was waiting in a getaway car that was fitted with false registration plates and had tinted windows. She added that the men were “equipped with appropriate housebreaking implements”.
Judge Greally accepted that Cawley had a young family and that his absence was “a hardship to his wife”, a difficulty which she said was brought about by “her husband’s conduct”.
She sentenced Cawley to five years in prison and suspended the final year on strict conditions.
Cawley (41) of Daletree Place, Ballycullen, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary at the apartment block on Kilmacud Road Upper, Dublin 14, on September 11, 2020.
He has 104 previous convictions for offences including theft, burglary, assault, harassment, trespass, endangerment, road traffic and public order offences.
Det Gda Haugh told Antonia Boyle BL, prosecuting that the owner of the apartment returned home to find a wooden door panel beside her front door was broken. She went to unlock the door and found it was already open and alerted the gardaí.
The woman later discovered that her gold wedding band had been stolen from her home.
Det Gda Haugh said earlier that day, a couple living in the apartment block, disturbed Cawley and another man in the apartment.
They noticed that the men left the building and got into a waiting car. They noted the type of car and later gave gardaí part of the registration plate and details of the men.
Gardaí secured CCTV footage from the building and were able to clearly see the registration plate on the getaway car.
They traced that vehicle through various CCTV cameras in the area and noted that it pulled in at a garage and McDonalds on the Klyemore Road in Dublin.
Det Gda Haugh confirmed that a colleague was able to identify Cawley as a suspect from the footage from the Kylemore Road leading to his arrest.
Cawley was on bail for another offence when he carried out the burglary.
A victim impact statement outlined that €410 worth of damage had been caused to the homeowner’s door.
Alan Delany BL defending said his client hopes to work in the construction industry when he is released from prison and also looks forward to returning to his family.
He said his client wished to offer a “heartfelt apology” for his involvement and he is full of remorse and shame.
Mr Delany said his client had €1,000 in court to offer as a token of his remorse.